The Ukrainian company Metinvest has been manufacturing decoy equipment for the Ukrainian military in order to get Russia to waste its ammunition by targeting fake targets instead of real ones. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal earlier this month, roughly half of that decoy equipment has been targeted and destroyed.
In fact, Russian reports of destroyed Ukrainian weapons exceed the amount of weapons that Ukraine has, indicating the efficacy of decoy equipment.
The Ukrainian company manufactures the fake military equipment from cheap and lightweight materials such as plastic foam, plumbing equipment, and scrap.
In this way, Metinvest is able to quickly create an arsenal of faux howitzers, mortars, radio stations, and other such equipment.
Further, being that it isn’t heavy or expensive, the Metinvest equipment can be manufactured relatively quickly. It can then be transported and assembled easily and rapidly.
Perfect facsimiles of large pieces of artillery can be fabricated in very little time. The Wall Street Journal report notes that a Ukrainian D-20 gun-howitzer replica can be produced by Metinvest workers in as few as four days. An American M777 howitzer replica takes roughly two weeks.
Inflatech, a Czech company, also makes decoy battlefield equipment for Ukraine. Inflatch’s inflatable decoy military equipment can also be manufactured and deployed at lightning speeds. Such equipment is also very easy to transport.
The Wall Street Journal report quotes the chief executive of Inflatech, Vojtech Fresser, as saying “You can fit four tanks into a civilian vehicle” and notes that an Inflatech Leopard tank can be carried around in a backpack.
The inflatable tank requires a mere ten minutes with a generator to inflate.
Long history of deception in war
In the Second World War, the Allies employed “ghost” armies of inflatable equipment to trick the Axis powers. These efforts were met with great success.
Deception and misinformation have long been staples of martial engagements.
Over 2000 years ago, legendary Chinese general Sun Tzu claimed that “All warfare is based on deception.”
However, as warfare advances, the fake equipment has needed to advance as well.
In addition to the fact that Russia also actively deploys decoy weaponry, as firing real weapons creates heat, and therefore an infrared signature, more sophisticated fakes are required.
The Ukrainians are meeting this challenge. The Wall Street Journal report notes that Metinvest workers found that sensors that are able to detect these infrared signatures can be fooled by setting off smoke bombs in the barrel of the replica weapon.
Ukrainian officials have not commented on how widespread the use of this decoy equipment is, but the demand seems to be there. Metinvest Chief Operating Officer Oleksandr Myronenko stated that the company is currently looking into manufacturing fake military vehicles such as tanks.